Categories > Guides and Tips
Discover Suphan Buri: Thailand’s Golden Province
- Best Time to Visit Suphan Buri
- Things to Know
- How to Get to Suphan Buri
- Where to Stay in Suphan Buri
- Petchngam Home Resort
- Country Lakeview Hotel Suphanburi
- Prem Mansion U Thong
- Where to Eat in Suphan Buri
- Kung Pen Restaurant
- Khanap Nam Restaurant
- Cafe & Forest
- What to See and Do in Suphan Buri
- Explore Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan’s historic temple complex
- Shop for traditional goods at the Sam Chuk Market
- Soak in the relaxing view at the Krasiao Dam
- Enjoy camping at the Khao Wong Reservoir
- Hike Phu Toei National Park’s nature trails
- Climb Banharn-Jamsai Tower for a bird’s-eye view of Suphan Buri Town
- Stroll around the Suphan Buri City Pillar Shrine
- Check out Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat
- FAQs about Suphan Buri
My college roommate is a serious history buff. So, when he visited me in Bangkok, I happily recommended Suphan Buri as one of the first places to see during his historical Thailand tour.
To boot, Suphan Buri ticks the right boxes. It’s steeped in history, has plenty of historical sites to offer, and the icing on the cake: it’s only a short trip from Bangkok.
But the best part is it’s only a small part of what I love about this Golden Province. In this guide, I’ll reveal what makes Suphan Buri the ideal destination, from historical adventures to stunning beautiful places and beyond! Read on.
Best Time to Visit Suphan Buri
The best time to visit Suphan Buri is between November and February because of the pleasant weather conditions.
During this time, you’ll experience cooler temperatures and lower rain chances which is ideal for sightseeing and outdoor recreation. The cool weather, in particular, means you can go out comfortably from morning to night.
Things to Know
Currency: Thai Baht (Check the current exchange rate)
Language: Thai (Central Thai)
Calling Code: (+66)
Location: Suphan Buri, Thailand
Nearest Airport: Don Mueang International Airport (116 km)
How to Get to Suphan Buri
Minivan: Boarding a minivan from Bangkok’s Mochit Bus Terminal is the cheapest and most conventional way to get to Suphan Buri. The three-hour trip will initially take you to Ang Thong where you’ll get a minivan transfer to Suphan Buri Town.
Private Taxi: Hiring a private taxi is more convenient if you want to get to Suphan Buri directly from Bangkok. Though more expensive, this option is faster because it only takes approximately two hours.
Rental Car: Another option is to self-drive from Bangkok to Suphan Buri. This method also takes approximately two hours but you need a driver’s license and an International Driving Permit if you like to rent a vehicle in Thailand.
Start by driving northwest via Highway 338, turning right to Highway 3021, and turning left to Highway 345. At the Bang Bua Thong Interchange, turn right to Highway 340 and continue until you reach PTT Lak Mueang Thavorn Panit.
From there, turn right to switch to Highway 357. This highway leads to Suphan Buri’s town center.
Where to Stay in Suphan Buri
Petchngam Home Resort
Media credit: molwbshotma
Address: 691, U Thong District
Operating Hours: 2 p.m. (Check-in) & 12 p.m. (Check-out)
Contact Number: +66 83 684 2428
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Petch999
Pricing: ฿
Petchngam Home Resort is just off the main road in U Thong District so it’s an accessible option for tourists exploring around Suphan Buri. This place offers bungalow-style accommodation equipped with essential modern amenities.
It also has spacious family rooms with multiple beds, separate living spaces, full-size refrigerators, and fully equipped bathrooms. Plus, it’s tucked away in a leafy neighborhood so you can enjoy a tranquil natural setting.
Country Lakeview Hotel Suphanburi
Media credit: nammint_sirinan
Address: 207 Moo 3, Bang Bua Thong – Suphan Buri Road, Tha Rahat Subdistrict
Operating Hours: 2 p.m. (Check-in) & 12 p.m. (Check-out)
Contact Number: +66 83 031 3193
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thecountry.suphan/
Pricing: ฿฿
Country Lakeview Hotel Suphanburi is a cozy hideaway surrounded by vibrant rice paddies and small lakes. It provides unpretentious rooms with minimalist interiors, rustic furnishings, and nice garden and lake views.
Aside from their spacious rooms, they also offer other facilities, including a fitness gym, restaurant, and mini zoo. There’s also a lush garden and a sizable koi pond for guests who like to stroll around the estate.
Prem Mansion U Thong
Media credit: greenplastwood
Address: 936 Malaiman Road, U Thong, U Thong District
Operating Hours: 2 p.m. (Check-in) & 12 p.m. (Check-out)
Contact Number: +66 99 481 8899
Website: https://www.facebook.com/premmansion.uthong
Pricing: ฿
Prem Mansion U Thong is a chic hotel known for its modern rooms with minimalist interiors and sleek furnishings.
It’s in the heart of U Thong Town, so it’s the ideal choice for tourists who want quick access to the local haunts, like the U Thong National Museum and Banhan Chaemsai Clock Tower.
Where to Eat in Suphan Buri
Kung Pen Restaurant
Media credit: hungrypa_
Address: Thonburi, 340, Sam Chuk, Sam Chuk District
Operating Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 35 504 273
Website: http://kung-pen.websy.me/
Pricing: ฿฿
Kung Pen Restaurant is a popular riverside restaurant known for its floating open-air dining area. It has 10 special tables in the middle of the Tha Chin River, so this place is great for couples looking for a more romantic dining experience.
This restaurant also excels in Thai seafood dishes like grilled giant river prawns, steamed seabass with herbs, and more. There are large freshwater tanks filled with live river prawns so their prawn-based dishes are fresh!
However, its bestselling item is the spicy fish tom yum with clear broth. It’s packed with fish meat and priced reasonably so you get the best value for your money.
Khanap Nam Restaurant
Media credit: 0opoompuio0
Address: 124/1, Phai Khwang
Operating Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 89 206 2077
Website: https://www.facebook.com/mellowsuphanburi/
Pricing: ฿฿
Khanap Nam Restaurant is a charming restaurant on the outskirts of Suphan Buri Town. It has a serene open-air garden dining area surrounded by lush green trees and colorful flower beds.
The restaurant’s menu focuses on traditional Thai cuisine. And you must try their classic Thai eggplant salad, deep-fried seabass with nam chin, and stir-fried crab curry.
Their traditional Thai desserts are also worth a try, especially the bua loi phuak, which are taro balls in coconut cream.
Cafe & Forest
Media credit: kae_7770
Address: 315 Moo 7, Sa Kaeo Subdistrict
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 92 494 1989
Website: https://www.facebook.com/glinmaipa/
Pricing: ฿฿
Cafe & Forest is tucked away in a secluded tree-lined property, so it’s a solid choice for tourists who like a more relaxed atmosphere. It has a chic and airy indoor dining area but it’s best known for its tree-lined alfresco garden dining area.
It’s on a charming wooden deck and next to a pond so it’s great for those who like to soak in the relaxing natural scenery.
The cafe’s extensive food menu is also a plus. Here, you get a wide range of options, from baked pork ribs with BBQ sauce to Thai-style pasta dishes and more.
Their selection of iced coffees, teas, and smoothies is also great if you like to cool down.
What to See and Do in Suphan Buri
Explore Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan’s historic temple complex
Media credit: green55sab
Address: Highway 321 Malaiman Road, Rua Yai
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 92 590 9595
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Watpalalaiworawihan/
Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan is a unique temple. It was discovered by King Rama IV while traveling around the country as a monk and later restored into a royal temple, which is why the monarch’s emblem is engraved in its gable.
The temple’s elegant wihan is home to a massive 23-meter sitting Buddha statue called Luangpho To that’s in a unique Palilayaka posture.
It also enshrines 36 sacred Buddha relics so it’s one of the most valuable statues in Suphan Buri. Moreover, this complex is filled with colorful murals and traditional Thai stilt houses with exhibits of ancient literature, antique tools, handicrafts, and more.
Shop for traditional goods at the Sam Chuk Market
Media credit: jalop.job
Address: Soi Thetsaban Soi 9, Sam Chuk Subdistrict, Sam Chuk District
Operating Hours:
- 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Monday – Friday)
- 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Saturday – Sunday)
Sam Chuk Market is a 100-year-old Thai market, and it’s the go-to shopping spot for antiques, local handicrafts, and traditional street food.
The market’s oldest shops include Chinese herbal drugstores, Thai coffee shops, and traditional dessert makers. Plus, you’ll find numerous local vendors selling cheap clothes, accessories, and more.
Soak in the relaxing view at the Krasiao Dam
Media credit: tech5ron
Address: Dan Chang, Dan Chang District
Operating Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 3559 5120
Krasiao Dam is a well-known roadside viewpoint for tourists and local motorists in Suphan Buri. Visitors frequent its south end because of the public benches and dedicated photo spots which are great for taking postcard-perfect shots of the reservoir.
The dam’s panoramic view and the surrounding mountainscapes are also ideal for sunset and reflection photos. There’s a nearby cafe and ice cream shop as well, so you’re covered for snacks and refreshments.
Enjoy camping at the Khao Wong Reservoir
Media credit: maysuree
Address: Dan Chang, Dan Chang District
Operating Hours: 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 65 012 2240
Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057533136676
Admission Costs: 20 baht
Khao Wong Reservoir is a scenic artificial lake surrounded by forested hills and mountains. This local haunt is also the top choice for camping, stargazing, and picnicking in Suphan Buri.
Phu Toei National ParkIn fact, this place has no electricity and signal reception, so it’s great for travelers who want to enjoy nature’s company to the fullest. Here, you can set up a tent or rent a floating bungalow in the middle of the lake.
There’s also a restaurant and communal bathrooms, so you’re covered for basic amenities. Rental kayaks are also available if you want to explore the lake.
Hike Phu Toei National Park’s nature trails
Media credit: immwednesday
Address: Wang Yao, Dan Chang District
Operating Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 35 960 240
Website: https://www.facebook.com/PhutoeiNationalPark?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Admission Costs:
- 100 baht (Adults)
- 50 baht (Kids)
For serious hikers, Phu Toei National Park is the premier hiking spot in Suphan Buri. This vast nature reserve is filled with lush mountains, tropical forests, and waterfalls, so you’ll see plenty of natural attractions while hiking here.
It’s best known for the 1,123-meter Yodkhao Tewada, Suphan Buri’s highest mountain. The mountain’s summit is also a popular lookout point offering a breathtaking view of the park’s vibrant mountainscapes and sea of clouds.
The park’s visitor’s center also has a campsite, restaurant, and bathroom facilities, so be sure to stay the night to make the most of your visit.
Climb Banharn-Jamsai Tower for a bird’s-eye view of Suphan Buri Town
Media credit: woralakyo
Address: Chalerm Patthara Rachini Park, Tha Phi Liang
Operating Hours: 10 a.m. -7 p.m. (Tuesday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 35 522 721
Admission Costs: 30 baht
Banharn-Jamsai Tower is a landmark in Suphan Buri’s town center. It’s a 123-meter observation tower, so tourists come here to get a stunning panoramic view of the town.
It’s located in Chalerm Patthara Rachini Park, so you also have access to its landscaped gardens, vigorous water fountains, and fun play areas when you visit.
Stroll around the Suphan Buri City Pillar Shrine
Media credit: pook_aunchalee_
Address: Luang Han Road , Rua Yai
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 35 521 690
Suphan Buri City Pillar Shrine is a must-see for fans of colorful Chinese architecture. Its most iconic building is a museum shaped like a massive golden oriental dragon statue.
Moreover, there’s a Chinese-style temple building adorned with colorful lanterns and dragon motifs. You’ll see numerous statues of Chinese deities and figures.
The museum has numerous exhibit rooms featuring various topics like Chinese history, Suphan Buri’s Thai-Chinese community, and more. Though this shrine is open to the public, the museum has a separate 99-baht entrance fee.
Check out Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat
Media credit: 24chanakarn
Address: Somphan Kong Road, Rua Yai
Operating Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Monday – Sunday)
Contact Number: +66 95 649 8299
Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat is an important historical site in Suphan Buri Town. It features 600-year-old Ayutthaya-style pagodas made from stacked bricks that enshrine sacred Buddha relics.
Another notable building is a pavilion with two large reclining Buddha images. Don’t forget to check out its ubosot and wihan to see numerous other Buddha statues and murals.
This is a massive site, so be sure to visit it early if you plan to explore it fully.